Stabilized range finder



Nov. 20, 1934. A. sTl-:INLE ET Al.

STABILIZED RANGE FINDER Filed Sept. 30, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 a a a m a,M k

Inventors 4M j Nov. 20, 1934. A. s'rElNLE r-:r Al.

STABILIZED RANGE FINDER s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30. 1932 In venors:

Nov. 2o, 1934.

A. s'rErNLE Er AL .1,981,529

STABILIZED RANGE vFINDER Filed Sept. 30, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Invenzars:

`Patented Nov. 20,\l 934 1,981,529 s'rABmzEn RANGE FINDER Adolf Steinleand tto Schreiber, Jena, Germany,

assignors to firm N. V. Nederlandsche Instrumenten Compagnie NedinscmVenlo, Netherlands Applicata september so, 1932, serial No. 635,616

` In Germany September 25, 1931 relative to the space by a stabilizingmeans and,

on the other hand, aldevice for lso coupling the rangefinder to thisbody that fluctuations of the craft impart to the rangefinder arotationabout' its axis for vertical rotation, the angle of thisrotation being at any horizontal direction of the rangeilnder relativeto the craft equal to that angle through which the iiuctuations of. thecraft make the said body and the craft rotate relatively to each otherabout the two cardanic axes of the body in that plane which is at rightangles to the axis for vertical rotationA of the rangefinder.

The coupling device .is conveniently provided with'a gear whose partsare movably mounted on that part of the support for the rangefinderwhich partakes of the horizontal rotation of same and of which one partis rotatable at the said cardanically mounted body about two axesintersecting at right angles at the point of intersection of thecardanic axes of the body, one of these axes being vertical when thebody is 35 stabilized, and the gear being so constructed that therelative adjustments of its parts, which are a measure for thealtitudinal adjustment of the rangender at uctuations of the craft,always correspond to the relative inclinations of the 40 body and thecraft in the said plane. A suitable constructional form is arrived at bymaking the gear consist of two bevel wheels which mesh with each otherand are rotatably mounted at the said part of the support for therangender about two axes intersecting at right angles at the point ofintersection of the cardanic axes of the said body, one of the said twoaxes being parallel to the axis for horizontal rotation of therangefinder. I

An especially simple rangefinder stabilization according to theinvention is'arrived atby con structing the said body as a platformwhich is maintained horizontal by a stabilizing means and has such aposition relative to the rangelfinder that the point of intersection ofits cardanic axes lies in a plane that Lcontains the axis for verticalrotation of the rangender and is parallel to the -axis for horizontalrotation of the rangender.

If the rangender and the said body are housed 50 in a turret so mountedon the craft for rotation about an axis that a rotation of this turretabout this axis entails a horizontal rotation of the rangeflnder, andvif the stabilization of the body is effected by a stabilizing means theexterior .cardanic axis of which has an unchangeable position' relativeto the craft, it is convenient to l provide that the cardanic bearing ofthe body forms part of a support which'partakes ofthe rotations of theturret relative to the craft and is rotatable relatively tothe turretabout 'an axis parallel to the axis of rotation ofthisturret, andfurther, to use means which, when the turret is rotated relatively tothecraft, 'impart tothis support such a rotation relative to this turretthat the cardanic axes of the body remain parallel to the cardanic axesof the stabilizing means in spite of the rotation of the turret.

The accompanying drawings illustrate three constructional examples ofarangender stabis lization according to the invention, leach in ahorizontal and a vertical section, these three examples beingrepresented by Figures 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6, respectively.

In the constructional example according to Figures l and 2, 1 is atubular support which is assumed to bel fixed to a ship 3 by means of aflange 2. By means of a foot 5, a bush 4 vis rotatably mounted on thissupport 1. The bush 4 may rotate about an axisX-X which 9 has such aposition relative tothe ship that it is vertical when the ship is insmooth water. In the bush 4 a rangender 6 (represented in the drawingsfor the sake of simplicity as a tube only) is mounted for rotation aboutan axis Y-Y intersecting at right angles the axis X-X/ the axes X-X andY-'f-Y represent the axis fory horizontal rotation and the axis forvertical rotation of the rangeflnder, respectively. By means of two pins'7, a ring 8, and two pins 9 a cup-shaped body 10 is-cardanically somounted on the support 1 that the point of intersection alsl .M of itscardanic axes (the cardan centre) lies in the axis for horizontalrotation X--X. The stabilization of the body 10 is effected by means ofa pendulum 11 fixed to the same, this pendulum maintaining thepositionoLthe body 10 in the space regardless of the ships movements.

At the foot 5, a bevel wheel 13 is mounted for rotation together with, ashaft 12 in such a manner that the axis of this shaft'12 coincides withthe axis for horizontal rotation X-X. 'I'he bevelwheel 13 meshes with abevel wheel 14 which is supported at the foot v5 and rotates about Yanaxi's intersecting at right angles the axis 'XX and containing thecardanic centre M. The bevel wheel 14 has two ears 15 by means of whichit is rotated about a pin 16. The pin 16 is fixed to apiece 17 disposedbetween the stops 15. By means of a pin 18, this piece 17 is somountedgonthe body 10 ,that it may rotate about an axis which containsthe cardanic centre M and is vertical. In all other respects the deviceis so constructed that the axis of the pin 16 intersects at rightangles, at the cardanic centre M, the axis of the pin 18 as well as 'theaxis of rotation of the bevel Wheel 14. Rotations of theshaft 12 aretransmitted by means of a pair of bevel Wheels 1/9` to one crown wheel20 of a diiferential" gear whose other crown wheel 21 is-part of aloosely rotatable wheel body 22 which is mounted on the bush 4. 'I'heplanet wheel 23 of thedifferential gear is rotatably mounted on the bentend of a shaft 24 which extends through a bore in the wheel' body 22.The wheel body 22 has also a bevel wheel 25 which may be driven by means'of- 'a' hand wheel 27 and a` bevel wheel 26. The rotations ofthe shaft24 are transmitted to a wheel 28 meshing with a wheel rim 29 of therangeilnder 6.

The described coupling of the body 10 to the rangender 6 works in thefollowing manner.

When the ship 3 is oscillating in a plane at right angles to the axisfor vertical rotation Y-Y of the rangefinder 6, the bevel wheel 13`rolls on the bevel wheel 14, which is due to this bevel wheel 14 beingconnected to the stabilized body 10 and remaining at rest with the same.As a consequence, the bevel wheel 13 rotates about its axis, and therangender 6 isrotated about its axis for vertical rotation Y-Y by meansof the pair of bevel wheels 19 and the` differential gear 20, 21, 23.The wheels are which the rangeilnder is rotated as a consequence of theoscillations of the ship is permanently equal to that anglethrough whichthe ship 3, owing to its oscillations relative to the body 10, is turnedin a plane at right angles to the axis for vertical rotation YY of therangefinder. Theser two rotations are effected 'in op posite senses and,consequently, the adjusted altitudinal anglef of the rangefinder ismaintained regardless of the ships oscillations.

When the ship oscillates in the vertical plane containing the axis forvertical rotation Y-Y of the rangeiinder,l the rangender is not impartedany rotations about the axis Y--Y, since the positions of the bevelwheels 13 and 14 relative to each other remain unchanged. In the saidvertical plane, only the ship 3 and, consequently, the support 1, thefoot 5, the range' 17 to effect a corresponding rotation, which isrequired for a correct Working of the device.

The purpose of the handwheel 27 is to impartl to the rangender 6 by wayof the differential gear 20, 21, 23 adjustments through any altitudinalangles so as to adapt the sighting plane craft.

xoi.' this rangender to any position of an air- This altitudinal-angleadjustment by hand as well as the automatic adjustment of thealtitudinal anglnefmforf counter-acting lthe l ships oscillations do notinfluence each other.

Those parts of the two other constructional examples represented by thedrawings which are equal to the corresponding parts of the first example(and which are designated accordingly) are not described in thefollowing.

The second constructional example (cf. Figures '3 and 4) differs fromthe rst one substantially in the other mannerof couplingthe stabilizingbody 10 and the rangender 6. Moreover,

the bush connected to the foot consists of two parts 4a and 4b.

The body 10 has a plane plate whose upper surface 10a contains thecardanic centre M and which is maintained in horizontal position by thependulum 11. Against this upper surface 10a rests one end of a pin 30mounted in a guide piece 5a of the foot 5 and displaceable parallel tothe axis for horizontal rotation X--X of the rangeiinder 6. The otherend of the pin 30 rests against the lower surface 3l of a plate 32containing the axis for vertical rotation Y--Y of the rangender 6. Thisplate 32 belongs toa bush 33 loosely mounted on the rangeinder 6 forrotation about the axis Y-Y. A pressurespring 34, which surrounds thepin 30 and rests on the one hand against the guide piece 5a and on theother hand against a collar 350i the -pin 30,A continuously presses thepin 30 against the surface 10a. A draw spring`36 between the plate 32and the guide piece 5a maintains the contact of the plate 32 and the pin30. The length of the pin 30 is equal to the distance of the axis forvertical rotation Y-Y. from the cardanic centre M. AAs a consequence,the surface 31 ofthe plate. 32 is continuously parallel.

to the surface 10a of the body l0, regardless of the ships oscillations;in other words, the angle through which the ships oscillations cause thebush 33 to rotate relatively to the rangeiinder 6 about the axis Y--Y,that is to ysay in a plane at right angles to the axis Y-Y, ispermanently equal to 'that angle through which the ship is vrotated inthis plane relativelyto the body 16.

rim 39 which is so fixed to the rangender 64 that its axis coincideswith the axis for vertical rotation Y-Y. This worm gear 38,. 39 permits,

by rneansl of a handwheel 40, to impart to the rangefinder 6 adjustmentsat any altitudinal angles. On the other'hand, it causes the rangefinderto be carried along when oscillations of the ship make the bush 33rotate about the axis Y-Y.

In the third constructional example (of. Figures 5 and 6), the couplingof the rangeiinder 6 and the body 10 exactly corresponds to that of thesecond example (Figures 3 and 4). third example differs from the secondexample substantially in that the rangefinder 6 is housed in a.turretftl` in which it rotates vertically. This turret 4l, which ismounted on a support plate 42 fixed to the ship 3, is rotatable about anaxis X-X that is vertical when the ship is in smooth water and which isdisplaced relatively .to the cardanic centre M. The guide piece 5c forthe pin 30 is ixed to the turret 41.- The axisfor rotation ofthe turretX-X also repre- The , rotating about an axis U-U intersecting at rightcents the axis for horizontal rotation of the rangeiinder 6. A furtherdifference from the second example consists therein that the body 16 isstabilized not by a pendulum but by a special stabilizing means, whichis not represented in the drawings, this stabilizing means being4assumed to be so disposed on the ship that do not participate in therotaits cardanic axes tions of the turret 41. e

The cardanic bearing of the body l in the turret 41 is asfollows. Atubular support 44, rotatable about an axis Z-Z, is mounted by means ofa flange on a plate 43 riveted to the turret, the said Z-Z beingparallelto the axis X-X and intersecting at right angles the axis forvertical rotation Y--Y of the rangeflnder 6. By means oi two pins y46and 47, a ring 48 is mounted on this support 44, this ring angles theaxis of rotation Z-Z at the point M. Whereas the pin 46 is receiveddirect by the support 44, the pin 47 is mounted in a wheel body 49rotatable in the support 44 about the axis U-U and provided with twobevel wheel rims 50 and 51. By means of two pins 52 and 53, the bodyA 10is mounted on the ring 48 for rotation about an axis V-V whichintersects at 'right angles the axis U-U at M. By means of a pair ofbevel wheels 54, a shalt rotatably mounted on the support 44 and ahandwheel 56,

the ring 48 may be rotated about the axis U-U relatively to thesupport-44. The rotation of the shaft 55 is transmitted to a worm wheel58 by means of a worm 57. .A disc 59 rigidly connected to this wheel 58has an index 60 which constitutes a following mechanism together with anindex 61 belonging to a receiver 62. On the Apin 52 is disposed a bevelwheel 63 which, for rotation of the body 10 about the axis V-V, relativeto the ring 48, may be driven by means of four bevel wheels 64, 65, es,e7 and the bevel wheel rim 51 of the wheel body 49. To the wheel body 49is imparted a rotation by means of a .bevel wheel 68, which meshes withthe bevel wheel rim 50, a shaft 69 rotatably mounted on the support 44,and a handwheel '10. The rotation of the shaft 69 is transmitted by awormjl to a worm wheel 72. A disc '13 rigidly connected to this wheel'I2 has an index 74 which constitutes a following mechanism togetherwith an index 15 belonging to a receiver '76. The two receivers 62 and16 are driven by corresponding transmitters of the above-mentionedstabilizing means (these transmitters not being represented in thedrawings). As a consequence, by maintaining in coincidence the indices60, 61 and 74, 75, respectively, by means of the handwheels56 and '10,

the body 10 may be kept in that position in there space in which thesurface 10a is horizontal, and' this regardless of the shipsoscillations. With a view to prevent the cardanic axesU-U and V--V ofthe body 10 from participating in the rotations of the turret 41 aboutthe axis X--X and, as required for correct stabilization of the body 10,make them remain parallel to the correspending` cardanic axes of thesaid stabilimng means, there is to be imparted to the support 44, whenthe turret 4l is rotated about the axis X-X of which rotation thesupport 44 partakes on account of its being mounted on the plate 43 ofthe turret 41, a rotation about the` axis Z--Z the angular value ofwhich is equal to that of the rotation .of the turret and whose sense ofrotation is reverse to that of the rotation of the turret. For thisreason the support 42 is provided with a toothed-.wheel rim '17, and thesupport 44 with a toothed-wheel rim '18. These two wheel rims have equalpitch-line diameters and equal circular pitches and mesh with a toothedwheelfl9 rotatably mounted on the plate 43. l We claim: 1. Arangeiinder, means for' mounting the rangeiinder upon a support fixed onboard ship, these means comprising a frame disposed on this support androtating about an axis (azimuthal axis)' approximately at right anglesto the deck of the ship, the rangeimdery being disposed in this frameand rotating about an axis (elevational axis) approximately parallel tothe deck of the ship, aybody cardanically so mounted upon this supportthat'the cardan centre lies in the said azimuthal axis, a coupling pieceso mounted upon this body as to be rotatable about an axis traversingthe said cardan centre, means for so stabilizing the said body that theaxis of rotation of the said coupling piece remains vertical in spite ofoscillations of the ship, these stabilizing means being stationary withrespect to rotations of the rangender relative to the said support,means for' so coupling the rangender to the said body that thoseoscillations of the ship which may cause a rotation of the said supportlrelative to the body about an axis parallel to the elevational axis ofthe rangeiinder impart to the rangender a rotation about this axis,theseecoupling means comprising a wheel gear, one member vof the wheelgear being disposed 'at the said frame and rotating about an axisparallel to the said elevational axis and traversing the said cardancentre, and another member being xed to the rangeilnder, the rst saidmember being coupled to the said coupling piece.

2. A rangeinder, means for mounting the rangender upon a support iixedon board ship, these means comprising aframe disposed on this Y supportand rotating about an axis (azimuthal axis) approximately at rightangles to the deck of the' ship, the rangender being disposed in thisframe and rotating about an axis (elevational axis) approximatelyparallel to the deck of the ship, a body cardanically so mounted uponthis support that the cardan centre lies in the said azimuthal axis, acoupling piece so mounted upon this body as to 4be rotatable about anaxis traversing the said cardan centre, means for so stabilizing thesaid body that the axis of rotation of the said coupling piece remainsvertical in spite of oscillations of the ship, these stabilizing meansbeing stationary with respect to rotatlons of the range-finder, relativeto the said support, means for coupling the rangeiinderto the saidbody,these coupling means comprising a wheel gear, one member of this wheelgear being disposed at the said frame and rotating about an axisparallel to the said elevational axis and traversing the said cardancentre, and another member being xed to the rangender, the rst saidmember being so coupled to the said coupling piece that thoseoscillations of the ship which may cause a rotation of the said supportrelative to the said body 4'

